


Try Again

by ohmyfae



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Bad dates, Friends to Lovers, Gladio has bad luck with lovers, M/M, OT3 to OT4, but good luck with friends, reference to homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-08
Updated: 2018-09-08
Packaged: 2019-07-08 10:10:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15928262
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohmyfae/pseuds/ohmyfae
Summary: Gladiolus Amicitia has terrible luck when it comes to lovers. His friends watch each date careen off the rails with mounting dread, and while they try to be supportive, every train wreck of a relationship leaves them more concerned. Concerned as friends, of course. Certainly not because there are burgeoning feelings of their own to complicate matters...A fill for the kinkmeme!





	Try Again

The first time Prompto meets one of Gladio's lovers, it's an unmitigated disaster.

"He's bringing someone over," Noct says, staring at his phone. "Prepare yourselves."

"Don't be dramatic," Ignis says. They're sitting outside in the sunny warmth of a cafe patio, ice clinking in their cups and water pooling over the floral coasters. Prompto gives Ignis and Noct confused looks, and Ignis sighs. "It can't be that bad."

"He says its someone we've met before," Noct says darkly, and Ignis winces. "Shit, there they are. Everyone look normal."

Prompto peers down the street. "I still have no idea what's going on, dude."

"Look," Noct says, while Ignis summons a flask from the middle of fucking nowhere and downs half of it in one swallow. "There's something you need to know about Gladio's taste in dates."

"Gods save us," Ignis whispers. "It's the fake wizard again."

Prompto cranes his neck around Ignis. The man hanging on Gladio's arm looks harmless enough, with an easy smile and long blond braids, and when he reaches up to tousle Gladio's hair, Gladio leans down and smiles at him. It's...nice. Pleasant. Comfortable. 

Noct's face freezes in a polite grimace, and Ignis scoots his chair closer to Prompto, hurriedly banishing the flask. The man sits down first, but doesn't leave room for Gladio, so Noct and Prompto have to press together so Gladio can squeeze in. 

"Hey, guys," Noct says.

"Hello, Gladio," Ignis says. "Richard."

"Call me Dick," Richard says. Ignis smiles.

"Of course."

Noct coughs and steps on Prompto's foot, and Prompto lunges forward, almost upending his drink to take Dick's hand. "Hey, I'm Prompto."

"Oh, yes," Dick says, gingerly holding Prompto's fingers as though he's carrying a new, rare strain of disease. "The commoner."

"Dick," Gladio says. "Come on."

"No, I like that about you, Gladio," Dick says. He releases Prompto and clamps his hand on Gladio's thigh. "You're so kind to the lower classes."

Ignis summons his flask again. Gladio frowns slightly, but Prompto knows him well enough to tell that he isn't about to get into an argument in public. He flashes Prompto an apologetic look, and Prompto smiles tightly back. Dick looks between them and scowls, leaning back in his chair.

"I do worry about your aura, though," Dick adds. "It's so... unclean, lately. Sullied by unworthy sources. Surely his highness can tell?"

"My magic doesn't work that way," Noct mutters into his drink. Dick runs his hands through Gladio's hair and looks at Prompto sidelong, and there's definitely something possessive there, a bitterness to his smile, a dark gleam in his eyes. Then he pulls Gladio into a triumphant kiss in full view of everyone, refusing to break eye contact with Prompto the entire time.

Beside him, Ignis empties his flask. 

-

"Holy shit," Prompto says, when Dick has dragged Gladio home by the belt loops a few minutes later, glaring daggers at Prompto over his shoulder. "Holy _shit._ "

"Yeah," Noct says, feelingly. "This one isn't even the worst. Remember Bianca?"

Ignis shudders. "She told everyone he was dating her for a year before they got together. Gladio only accepted the first date because he felt as though he was cheating on her."

"Except he wasn't," Noct points out, stabbing his plate with a fry, "because they _never dated in the first place._ "

"Yikes."

"It's a curse," Noct says. "Gladio's a romantic, Prompto. He's, I don't know."

"Lovestruck," Ignis suggests.

"He thinks every new crush is the next big thing," Noct says. "You know. The one. He doesn't even notice it's fucked up until it's over." He sighs and pushes away from the table. "What do you guys think? They're off to have a fight right now?"

"Most likely," Ignis says. "Prompto, if you and Noct don't mind getting emergency supplies, I can get my hands on my copy of Incense and Insensibility and meet you at the apartment at five."

Prompto raises his brows, and Noct nods briskly. "It's the break-up movie," Noct says. "You'll get used to it. Come on, let's get some noodles and Powerade."

That night, while Noct and Prompto are turning a simple kid's racing game into a no-holds-barred death match, Ignis' phone starts to ring. Noct mutes the game, and the two of them watch Ignis pace the kitchen, nodding and whispering into the phone.

"Of course you can come over," Ignis says, and Prompto gets up to turn off the console. "We'll make a night of it."

It isn't the last break-up party Prompto goes to. The next one happens a week later, when Gladio dates a self-proclaimed vampire for two days and comes into training at the Citadel with a bandage on his neck.

"Dude," Prompto says, when he finally sees the purple bite marks on Gladio's chest. It's just the two of them in the showers, and Gladio's leaning against the open stall, refusing to meet Prompto's eyes. "You wanna report her or something?"

"What?" Gladio flushes pink. "No. It's just a love bite, Prompto. I'm not about to--no."

"Alright," Prompto says, hesitantly, and slings a towel over his shoulders. "You up for a game, at least? I'll invite the guys."

Later that week, the vampire tries to sneak into the Citadel to beg Gladio to come back, and Noct actually has to pull rank to make her leave. 

Then there's the night a few days after that, when Noct and Prompto are sprawled on the sofa, Noct laughing hot puffs of breath over Prompto's hip while he drags at the band of his boxers. When the doorbell rings, it's loud enough to startle them both off the couch, Noct slamming his head on the coffee table while Prompto scrambles to button up his pants. They're still flushed and panting and uncomfortably hard by the time they make it to the door, and Prompto, in a panicked, last-ditch effort to save them both from death by mortification, grabs a potted plant off the counter and shoves it in front of Noct's bulge.

The door creaks open. 

Gladio looks down at them. 

The plant rustles.

Noct makes a croaking noise in the back of his throat.

"You know what," Gladio says, amusement slipping through his wan, almost melancholy expression. "I'll call."

"No," Prompto barks.

"Come in," Noct manages to say. "It's no big."

They back away, letting Gladio slowly slip into the foyer, bringing the plant with them.

"Doing some gardening?" Gladio asks.

"Sure." Noct wrenches the plant out of Prompto's grip and lurches for the kitchen. "I'm getting drinks. You guys want drinks."

It isn't a question. Prompto sits at the table, crossing his legs, and tries to will his dick to stop taking interest as Gladio tugs off his shoes and rolls up his sleeves, the muscles of his arms bulging. Gladio's hair is a mess, too, tangled and mussed out of style, and he finger-combs it as he sits down opposite Prompto.

"Wanna talk about it?" Prompto asks.

Gladio shrugs. "Things moved kind of fast with Deana. I don't know. She kicked me out."

"The fuck?" Noct comes back with drinks, sitting sideways on his chair. "What do you mean, kicked you out?"

"Well." Gladio glances at Prompto. "This might be too much info for you."

"I'll be fine," Prompto says. Probably, he doesn't add. 

"And this doesn't leave this room," Gladio says. "I'm not the kind of guy who talks shit about his flings, you know."

"Yeah, yeah," Prompto says, raising his hands. "Neither am I."

Gladio looks between him and Noct and smiles slightly. It's almost fond, really, and Prompto is a little touched that Gladio feels close enough to him to let him in like this. "So it turns out Deana isn't the kind of woman who wants a long-term relationship. Which is fine."

"Uh huh." Noct cracks open his drink, watching Gladio carefully.

"But, uh. I wanted to, you know. Stick around afterwards, right?"

"Biggest cuddler in Lucis," Noct says, smiling, and Gladio leans over to push him on the shoulder. "What? Best hugs known to man, right, Prompto?"

"Out of this world," Prompto says.

"She laughed me out of the bedroom," Gladio says, and both Prompto and Noct's smiles freeze. "She said the rumors were true. You know, that I'm a..." He waves his hand. "Fuck, I don't know. It was bullshit. She was an asshole. It's over now."

Noct's voice, when he speaks, is dangerously level. "What'd she call you, Gladio?"

Gladio sighs. He says it.

There's a short, tense silence.

"What the fuck," Noct says.

"You want me to vandalize her car?" Prompto asks. "I can make it happen. I know a guy."

"It's fine, Prompto." Gladio takes a swig of his drink. "Not like I can't handle it, but it was kind of a shock this time. I guess I got complacent."

"You shouldn't have to be," Noct says. "I agree with Prompto. Let's fuck up her car."

"Cover it in dicks," Prompto says.

"Rainbow dicks."

"Rainbow dicks with wings."

"What the hell, guys," Gladio says, and laughs, dragging his hand through his hair. "No one's drawing dicks on anything."

"No, but we _can_ do something really goddamn gay just to spite her," Prompto says. "There's usually a drag show going on at one am at the Choco-Bro."

"We can bring Ignis," Noct says. "Don't worry, Gladio, I can go in disguise, and we'll stop at the ATM and get tips. It'll be great."

Gladio props his chin on his hand. "Only if you don't drink," he says. "I may be your shield, but I ain't haulin' your ass out of an alley at three am just because you saw a dog that looks too skinny."

"That was one time," Noct says, "and they _were._ "

Prompto grins wide. "Okay, this I have to hear about," he says. Noct groans and pushes away from the table, and Gladio leans in with a conspiratorial wink.

"Later," he says, and Prompto's stomach flips. "I promise."

-

Ignis is probably the best kisser in the universe, in Prompto's opinion. He has a way of knowing just how to apply the right amount of pressure to Prompto's skin without leaving a mark behind, and he's employing that skill with a vengeance when Gladio walks in on them, carrying a practice sword over his shoulder.

"Huh," he says.

Prompto looks up from where he's pinned over Ignis, Ignis' legs wrapped around his like a vice. "Oh, hey, Gladio."

"You know people use those mats," Gladio points out, walking past them to put away his sword. Ignis pries himself off Prompto and folds his hands under his head. 

"We are using them," he drawls.

"Nice." Gladio opens the door to the armory. "Seriously, though. This is the only empty training room right now, and I need to get my workout done before my date tonight."

Prompto bites his lip. "Yeah? Who with?"

"Guy I met at a bar," Gladio says, and Prompto wants to bang his head on the mat. Gods, let them be halfway nice, he thinks. "He's fun." He winks and taps his arm. "Likes the gun show."

Prompto shoots him finger-guns, and Gladio dutifully slaps a hand over his heart. When he and Ignis slink out of the training room, readjusting their clothes, Ignis pulls Prompto aside.

"I'm starting to feel paranoid at this point," he whispers. "I can only hope this one is decent."

"Hey," Prompto says, fixing Ignis' tie for him. "You never know."

A week later, an article appears in the tabloids, describing Gladio's prowess in bed in excruciating detail. Gladio laughs it off, but Noct's furious, and Ignis has to be stopped from using Citadel Intel to track down the author.

"This has to stop," Noct says, pacing his living room with his hands shoved in his pockets. "I can't believe these people."

"You're right," Prompto says. "Gladio's a great guy. He deserves better."

"He'd be a catch for anyone," Ignis says. "He's well-read. Highly educated. Emotionally available."

"Loves his family," Prompto says. 

" _Wants_ a family," Noct adds. "Ripped as hell."

"Second best set of abs next to mine," Prompto says, lifting his shirt an inch. Ignis grins. "Confident."

"Attractive."

"Cuddler."

"Dependable."

They all stare at each other a moment, silence falling over Noct's spacious apartment.

"Y-yeah," Noct says, turning aside. "All that."

"Oh," Prompto whispers. "Oh, my gods."

"Prompto," Ignis warns.

"We want him." Prompto sits up on the couch. "We all want him."

There's another long silence.

" _Fuck,_ " Noct says.

"It doesn't matter what we want," Ignis says. "What matters is what Gladio wants."

"Yeah, but... We're together," Prompto says. "So Gladio probably never thought about it as an option. And it's not like we aren't friends. If he says no thanks, we move on."

"To the most awkward phase of my life," Noct says. 

"You passed that at twelve," Ignis says, and Noct almost smiles. "Gods. How long have we..."

"Try not to think about it," Noct says. "Gods know that's what I'm doing."

-

By the time they've all built up their nerve, Gladio's already quietly broken it off with a man who tried to key his car and accused him of seducing the king, and is preparing himself for another try with the fake wizard, Dick. Noct invites Gladio over for a game of King's Knight, but when Gladio wins three times in a row and Ignis starts stress-baking, Gladio sets down his phone and looks at them.

"Alright," he says. "What's up? You guys fighting?"

Noct chokes on his soda. Ignis' pastry rack rattles. 

"Nah," Prompto says. "Nah, we aren't... We're fine."

"Good," Gladio says. "You have a nice thing going on here."

"Yeah," Noct says, and looks at Ignis. Ignis passes the desperate look to Prompto, who swallows heavily and folds his legs up under him on the couch.

"About that," Prompto says. "Would you, uh. Do you want a nice thing?"

"Oh hell," Ignis says.

"With us," Noct blurts out. "A nice thing with us. Do you want in?"

"Our cuddle sessions are like, eight out of ten," Prompto says, rocketing down the slope with a reckless terror. "And Ignis can bake."

Gladio's brows slowly rise. "Ye-es," he says, carefully. "I know."

"Your family already likes us," Prompto adds. "And I'm kind of a sex god, personally, so that's a bonus."

"I didn't know you guys were looking," Gladio says, after a while. Noct shrugs.

"We're not looking, exactly," Ignis says.

"Just for you." Noct meets Gladio's gaze, and Prompto can see a heat in Gladio's eyes, something that runs deeper than want, stronger than desire. He thinks that if Noct asks Gladio now, Gladio would say yes. He wouldn't even have to think about it.

"No pressure, though," Prompto says, and Gladio turns that gaze to him. It's like being frozen to the spot, every secret part of him laid bare. He takes a steadying breath.

"Okay," Gladio says. He grins, and goosebumps prickle up Prompto's arms. "Let's give it a shot."

Then, just like that, they go back to playing their game. Ignis joins in and kicks their asses in two rounds, they eat half the pastries before they have time to cool, and Noct sits next to Gladio, a hand on his, tentative and light.

"Hey," he says. "Can I--"

"Sure," Gladio says, and Noct kisses him, holding onto his shoulders like he's worried Gladio's going to fall through the floor and into space. Gladio wraps an arm around Noct's waist, and Noct cups his face with both hands.

"Yeah," Noct says. "Yeah, I like this."

"Flatterer," Gladio says, and Noct kisses him again. Prompto exchanges a look with Ignis and starts clearing away the plates. 

"I seem to remember Noct pulling me aside earlier today," Ignis whispers in Prompto's ear. "Something about taking it slow."

Back on the couch, someone lets out a low moan. 

"Eh," Prompto says. "They'll be fine."

He gets his own time with Gladio the next day, after their usual morning run. They rinse off in the showers, and when Gladio taps Prompto on the shoulder, Prompto has to back into the wall to stop himself from slipping on the tile. The towels between them do nothing to hide Prompto's interest as he runs his hands down Gladio's back, Gladio's cock rubbing along his belly as they press close.

"So," Gladio says. "You mentioned the sex god thing."

"Dude." Prompto smirks. "We haven't even had our first date yet."

Not that he thinks they'll hold out that far. They almost do, though, making it all the way through dinner at Noct's before Ignis and Noct start shooting each other meaningful looks, and Gladio's gaze goes hungry and hot. He follows them into the bedroom, every bit as confident and assured as always, but when he pushes down Prompto's jeans and trails kisses along his abs, his touch is oddly gentle. 

Sex between the four of them is languid and slow, that first night. They explore Gladio's body, his wants and desires, savoring the way his breath hitches when he's close, the warmth of his mouth and hands. Noct rides him as he comes, Gladio's hands on his hips holding him still as Gladio gasps out his release on the sheets. Ignis, fucking Prompto on his side so he can watch, rocks into him harder, and Gladio brushes back Prompto's bangs, watching him with half-lidded eyes.

When they're all tangled up together, Gladio a human radiator in the middle, Prompto feels Gladio's chest constrict in a silent laugh.

"Gods," he says. 

"Yeah," Prompto says. "Sex god. I told you. It hits everyone that way."

Gladio snorts, Ignis covers his face, and at last, with Noct grinning on one side and Gladio on the other with an arm around Ignis, everything is perfect.


End file.
